TAT Foundation Weekend GatheringSteps on the Path

April 6-8, 2018
at the Claymont Society Mansion, WV

Photo: Paul Constant

Richard Rose once said "If I tell you to walk three miles down the path, don't walk a mile and then turn back." This weekend event will explore steps to take on the spiritual path, along with the pitfalls, missteps, and setbacks inherent in any great adventure. It's a great opportunity to learn from fellow travelers and experience the spirit of friendship that marks every TAT meeting.

Meet our presenters:

Bob Fergeson:

Bob is a Colorado based teacher, writer, and photographer. His work attempts to use the feeling of longing and nostalgia as a way within. He spends his time washing windows and hiking, as well as exploring our inner country with fellows from the Denver area. Learn more about Bob at The Listening Attention.

When not traveling by van or sailboat, Paul lives with his wife in a remote forest on the Millers River in Athol, Massachusetts.

Paul Constant:

Paul Constant became a student of Richard Rose in 1985. Currently, his fascinations and explorations are directed toward uncovering the mysteries of life and ourselves. Of late, his spiritual interests include balancing the natural intelligence of our body, the wisdom and resourcefulness of our mind, and the feeling-sense of our Heart. Listen to a September 2016 podcast interview of Paul Constant on SpiritualTeachers.org or visit searchwithin.org.

For the past 30 years, Paul has expressed his love for Truth by facilitating retreats, leading rapport sittings, serving as a TAT Foundation member, and studying with Richard Rose during 1985-1995. Paul and his wife live near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Shawn Nevins:

Shawn Nevins "fell onto the spiritual path in 1990," had an enlightenment experience in 1999, and since then has enjoyed making films, writing, and working with the TAT Foundation. His creative endeavors include the book The Celibate Seeker and the film Closer Than Close—an acclaimed documentary on Self-realization. Shawn is also the co-author of Images of Essence. See his work at poetryinmotionfilms.com.

Shawn and his wife live in the San Francisco Bay area.

Mark Seabright:

Mark was a dedicated Zen practitioner for many years, a participant in TAT events for over five years, and brings a well-honed perspective on the interior landscapes of the mind.

Additionally, there will be Group Inquiry and Rapport and Meditation Sittings

The registration deadline for the April Gathering is Sunday, April 1st.

Weekend Schedule

Friday, April 6th, 2018

5:00 to 7:30 PM – Set-up and arrivals

7:30 to 9:00 PM – TAT Foundation members-only business meeting

9:00 PM to ? – Informal conversation

Saturday, April 7th, 2018

7:30 to 8:00 AM – Optional group meditation with Paul Constant

8:00 to 9:30 AM – Potluck continental breakfast and open discussion

9:30 to 9:45 AM – Welcome and introduction

9:45 to 10:45 AM – "Rose's Jacob's Ladder: Steps on the Path" a session with Bob Fergeson: Richard Rose used to tell us "nobody's moving." That little koan stuck in my head for years. What does it mean to 'move' on the Path? How do we take the next step? Join Bob as we explore Rose's Jacob's Ladder: Steps on the Path.

10:45 to 11:15 AM – Break

11:15 to 11:45 AM – Q & A with Bob Fergeson

11:45 AM to 1:15 PM – Potluck lunch and open discussion

1:15 to 3:00 PM – Group Inquiry: Through honest, open dialogue, we help one another clarify our understanding by turning away from untruths. Thus we turn from the illusion of life to Reality. Such questioning is at the core of Richard Rose's Albigen System.

3:00 to 3:30 PM – Break

3:30 to 4:30 PM – "The Threefold Path" a session with Paul Constant: In his teachings, Richard Rose laid out
The Threefold Path to remind us that we cannot solely work on one level at a time. He offered tips and pointers toward three levels: the physical, the mental, and the essential. As a former student of Rose and a lifelong explorer of Heart and Mind, Paul will express his personal discoveries through The Threefold Path, with the intent of inspiring seekers to take their own steps toward an eternal spiral—from the mundane to the Absolute.

7:00 to 8:15 PM – "What Keeps Us from Being Awake?" a session with Paul Rezendes: Let's assume there is such a thing as enlightenment. At least that's what others have told us is possible. But we feel we are not there, that we haven't arrived. Maybe we are looking in the wrong places? If we are focused on enlightenment, we might be missing what is in the way. If we start to pay attention to what is on the path, what is looking for enlightenment, we might be looking at what is in the way. Can we get really serious about getting to the root of what is in the way, to what enlightenment is not? If we understand or come to see what enlightenment is not, then at that point, are we awake? It is said, "Know thyself."

8:15 to 8:30 PM – Break

8:30 PM to 9:00 PM – Rapport Sitting: The purpose of a group rapport sitting is to transcend personal, ego-centric consciousness. It is Satsang with the silent, inner guru that is present in everyone – yet hidden behind the ceaseless chatter of the ego and the glare of sensory experience. It is the meaning of the saying: "Where two or more are gathered in my name, there I am present."

9:00 PM to ? – Informal conversation

Sunday, April 8th, 2018

7:30 to 8:00 AM – Optional group meditation with Paul Constant

8:00 to 9:30 AM – Potluck continental breakfast and open discussion

9:30 to 10:30 AM – "Allowing Exploration" a session with Shawn Nevins: Our potential is bound by beliefs. If we have no legs, we may not dream of walking to the top of Everest, but Mark Inglis did. Climber Kyle Maynard, who was born without arms or legs, illustrates the mental stance that allows exploration: “All of my discoveries happened from saying ‘I don’t know.’” How do we find a similar stance, rather than busying ourselves constructing answers?

10:30 to 10:45 AM – Break / check out of mansion rooms

10:45 AM to 11:45 AM – "What’s Trying to Get Your Attention?" a session with Mark Seabright: There are a lot of descriptions of the steps on the spiritual path, but they don't provide much help in seeing exactly what it is that you need to focus on now, at this point in your search. This session explores what's trying to get your attention, or what Jim Burns calls "balls over the fence," as a guide on the path. We will look at how this inner guidance is noticed and what it's asking of you.

11:45 AM to 12:15 PM – Meeting wrap-up & feedback for future meetings

12:15 to 1:30 PM – Potluck lunch and open discussion

1:30 PM - Clean up and adjourn

Location and Facilities

The event is being held at the Claymont Society Mansion near
Charles Town in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. The mansion's historical ambience mixes perfectly with 350 private acres of forests and farmland. Sleeping accommodations include a mixture of single and double beds in 12 rooms and 6 shared bathrooms. Claymont provides towels and bed linens for overnight guests (guests make and strip their own beds). During the registration process, we will do our best to accommodate room preferences, but all mansion guests should expect to share sleeping quarters and bathrooms with other participants. On-site camping is available in the lawn area near the mansion.

$130 for members, which includes meeting registration and overnight lodging on Friday
and Saturday in the Claymont Mansion, or

$80 for members who arrange alternative lodging; this includes meeting registration
and on-site camping if desired. Camping is informal—no hook-ups or restrooms.

The non-member fees per person are:

$180 for non-members, which includes meeting registration and overnight lodging on
Friday and Saturday in the Mansion, or

$120 for non-members who arrange alternative lodging; this includes meeting
registration and on-site camping if desired. Camping is informal—no hook-ups or restrooms.

Full-time students should contact
events at tatfoundation dot org
for information on discounted registration fees.

Use PayPal to pay with these credit cards (PayPal account not necessary).
PayPal
is "fast, free and secure" and allows payment by credit card or electronic withdrawal from a bank account. Checks (in U.S.
dollars, drawn on a U.S. bank) or money orders (domestic only) made payable to the TAT Foundation are also accepted if received by the registration
deadline.

Become a TAT member for $40 on or before March 7th and register at the discounted member prices.
Visit our membership page for information
about TAT memberships.

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Registration Fees*

Please enter your name and email address in the boxes below and select your meal preference from the drop-down list:

Name:

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Vegetarian meals?

From the drop-down list below, select the registration fee that applies to you. Select "no lodging" if you will either camp on site or arrange off-site lodging on your own.

Fee:

Note: If cost is a serious issue that will make or break your attendance,
please let us know. We do not want someone to refrain from attending for reasons of cost.

2018 TAT Membership - $40*

Become a TAT member for $40 and register at the discounted member prices. Or, renew your annual membership. See details on our membership page.

* The TAT
Foundation hosts four public events each year. Registration fees vary depending on the
event location. Because we are an all-volunteer organization, please allow up to 5
business days before receiving confirmation of your payment. See our
membership overview or email
if you have questions about registration fees.

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you have JavaScript disabled; please email events at tatfoundation dot org if you have questions about fees.

Space is limited, so registration is required. The deadline for registration is Sunday, April 1st.
You may cancel your registration on or before April 1st and receive a refund, minus a $5 handling fee.
Cancellations after April 1st will not be refunded. Because ADA-compliant facilities are limited, persons with a disability should contact
events at tatfoundation dot org
before registering.

Meals

Meals are potluck style for Saturday and Sunday continental breakfasts, Saturday
and Sunday lunches, and Saturday dinner. We ask that each event participant bring 2 items, totaling about $15. A good rule of thumb is to bring enough
food to serve 7 people with each item. All meals are included for non-members. Sorry, we cannot reduce fees for those who prefer to bring their own food.
TAT will provide coffee and tea.

Lodging

For those who register using the alternative (off-site) lodging option, the following
overnight accommodations are located near the Claymont Society:

A group encouraging people to think rather than believe. A group determined to help people
find ways and means to answer their deepest philosophical questions. A gathering of friends who are not afraid to be honest with one another. An island of hope and
sanity (or at least the hope for sanity!). Last, but not least, TAT is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization chartered in 1973.